Follow these easy steps to make your Mini Apple Pies from scratch:

Prepare the Pie Crust:

1. Chill the Butter and Water: Ensure that your butter is cold by keeping it in the fridge until ready to use. Also, prepare a small bowl of ice water and set it aside.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar.
3. Cut in the Butter: Add the cold butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to blend the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, with pea-sized pieces of butter.
4. Add Water: Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork until the dough begins to come together. You may need about 6-8 tablespoons of water, but be careful not to add too much.
5. Form the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times to bring it together. Split the dough into two portions—one slightly larger than the other. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

Prepare the Apple Filling:

6. Peel and Slice the Apples: Peel, core, and slice the apples into thin, uniform pieces. Place the sliced apples in a large bowl.
7. Add the Flavorings: To the apples, add lemon juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla extract. Toss everything together until the apples are evenly coated.

Assemble the Mini Pies:

8. Roll Out the Dough: On a floured surface, roll out the larger portion of dough to about ¼ inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter or a small bowl to cut out circles of dough that are about 4-5 inches in diameter. These will be the bottoms of your mini pies.
9. Prepare the Pie Tin: Lightly grease a muffin tin or use a mini pie pan. Place each dough circle into a muffin cup, pressing gently to form a crust at the bottom and along the sides.
10. Add the Filling: Spoon the apple filling into each dough-lined muffin cup, mounding the apples slightly in the center.
11. Top with Dough: Roll out the smaller portion of dough and cut out smaller circles or strips of dough to create a lattice top or full cover for each mini pie. Place the dough on top of the apple filling, sealing the edges.
12. Apply the Egg Wash: Brush the top of each mini pie with the egg wash (beaten egg mixed with water) for a golden, glossy finish.

Bake the Mini Pies:

13. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the muffin tin in the center of the oven.
14. Bake: Bake the mini pies for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling. If the crust starts to brown too quickly, you can cover the edges with aluminum foil and continue baking.
15. Cool: Let the mini pies cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve:

16. Serve and Enjoy: Serve the mini pies warm or at room temperature. For an extra indulgence, top with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.